Author Interview: Susanne Winnacker - Blog Tour

Hi Susanne and welcome!

I’m always curious about why authors choose the names they do for “infected” populations in dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels. Why did you select Weepers for the unfortunate folks infected with the rabies virus in The Other Life?

When I did my research about rabies, I found photos of infected dogs on the internet that showed swollen and watering eyes. It was heartbreaking and horrible, and I wondered how it would be if humans were infected with a new kind of rabies. In my head they looked like they were crying and then the name Weepers just seemed logical.

Why did you choose L.A as the setting for your novel and not Germany where you live?

My husband and I travel a lot and one of our favorite destinations is the US. When I visited L.A, I was surprised to see that it wasn’t as “glamorous” as I’d thought it would be. But still most people associate the city with beauty and fame, and parts of L.A. reflect that and I just thought that a city like that, a city that’s the home of Hollywood, would be perfect to show the downfall of everything beautiful. What happens to a city that was full of life, once everyone’s gone and everything’s destroyed? What’s left?

Which character was your favorite to write? I promise not to tell the others ;)

Hm. That’s difficult. Obviously I really liked writing Sherry or I wouldn’t have chosen her point of view. But Tyler and Joshua were very fascinating to write. They’re both tortured and have gone through horrible things in the past but they deal with it in totally different ways. I love to write tortured characters. ;)

If forced to live in a bunker like your book’s characters, what three things would you want to have with you?

My pets (a dog that looks like a sheep and three bunnies). I hope they count as one thing. My husband, though he isn’t really a thing. Hm. Maybe I shouldn’t count him. Anyway. My laptop because it’s full of music and I could use it to write (assuming there’s enough electricity in the bunker). And coffee. I love coffee. Though maybe caffeine is a bad idea.

With December 21, 2012 rapidly approaching, do you have an apocalypse survival plan in place (just in case)?

I’ve built a little emergency fat reserve. Actually that happened on accident but it might come in handy if I ever have to go without food for days or weeks. (I’m sorry. I have to eat this chocolate bar. It’s in preparation for the Apocalypse). At least, that’s my excuse! ;)

Realistically speaking, I think my chances of survival during an Apocalypse would be bad if I had to run away from Weepers. I’m not very fast and I haven’t climbed a tree or anything since I was ten. I’ve never held a gun, so...I guess I’ll have to hide behind my husband!

Thanks for having me on your blog, Christie!

You're so welcome, Susanne!

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The Other Life hits shelves on May 15th!

Add on Goodreads

Find Susanne on the web:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Winners: Deadly Dance & Run for Fear

Apologies for the delay in announcing winners & the multiple posts this evening. I’m taking advantage of a rare quiet moment in my home :)

The winners are.....

Dawn Froggy S.

bn100

Maureen C. *confirmed*

I’ve sent you all emails. Please reply by Tuesday evening - Christie@fictionenthusiast.com

Thanks to all who entered!

Winners: How to Ravish A Rake by Vicky Dreiling

& the winners are

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.

.

.

.

Kim (penfield716@)

Cheryl C (castings@)

Na *confirmed*

Congratulations! I’ve emailed all three of you. You can also email me 

Christie @fictionenthusiast.com

Please be in touch by Tuesday evening.

Thanks to all who entered!

Waiting On Wednesday - April 25th

My WOW pick this week is 

Cold Fury 

by T. M. Goeglein

Available - July 2012

Synopsis via Goodreads

Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure

Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).

Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.

Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.

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Why do I want to read Cold Fury? It sounds seriously badass :)

What are you waiting on?

Meme details: Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine. Don’t forget to stop by her blog and share your WOW pick for this week.

ARC Review: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker - Blog Tour

Title: The Other Life
Series: The Weepers #1
Author: Susanne Winnacker | Website
Available: 5/15/12
Reading Level: YA












Synopsis via Goodreads:


3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life.

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.


My thoughts:


I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of The Other Life after reading the synopsis several months ago. I'm a huge fan of post-apocalyptic tales (especially those involving zombie like creatures). 

Sherry's story starts out strong. Locked in a bunker with her family and their food supplies have run out. This leads her and her father to venture out in search of something for the family to eat. They never expected to encounter the cloudy eyed Weepers. Before you know it Sherry's dad is gone and a boy named Joshua rescues her. Sherry is determined to find her father even if it means venturing into the Weeper’s nest, and Joshua is set on taking out every Weeper he can. I really liked Sherry. She had a compassionate side and the way she searched for humanity in the Weepers really won me over. I didn't love Joshua at first, but by the end of the novel (and after a big reveal) I was able to sympathize with him and the anger he was carrying around.

The Other Life didn't have as much action as I usually like in my zombie reads, and I felt several parts seemed to drag for a bit. The ending was top notch though and left me wanting more. I did really enjoy the romantic elements of the story and it helped to make up for what it lacked in action. The contrast of Sherry’s innocence with the gigantic mess the world around her had become really added something. You’d think innocence would be a characteristic difficult to hang on to when the world as you know it has been devastated.

The Other Life is a solid start to a new series. Loved the premise, which you really don’t fully uncover until the end of the novel. With the initial world building and character introductions out of the way I’m eager to see what happens next.

My Rating:

ARC Review: Dead To You by Lisa McMann

Title: Dead To You
Series or Stand-alone: Stand-alone
Author: Lisa McMann | Website
Available: Now
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Contemporary
Source: Amazon Vine








Synopsis via Goodreads:


Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

Quotable Quotes:

“Feels like I'm in a play and I don't know all my lines.” 

My thoughts:


Oh my! This book managed to tear my heart in two in just 256 pages. An abducted child is reunited with his family many years after he disappeared. You would expect all rainbows and sunshine, but this is not the case. This novel was ridden with angst. I don't usually enjoy angsty YA, but it felt right in Dead To You. Angst was almost necessary. These characters had been through so much. I loved watching this family heal, then shatter, only to heal again.

I applaud McMann for writing a YA novel from the point of view of a teen boy. Not only did she write it, she did an amazing job at it. Such a rarity in YA unfortunately. We really need more male protags. This book is shorter than most, but still encompasses the depth and detail of a much longer novel. I was completely invested in Ethan's story. I loved the characters even when I didn't agree with their choices. The plot was fast paced and the suspense kept me reading. I didn't want to put this book down. The ending is a killer. I hope she plans to write a follow up because I'm dying to know what happened next.

My Rating:

Waiting On Wednesday - April 18th

My WOW pick this week is

What I Didn't Say

by Keary Taylor

Available - May 11th

Synopsis via Goodreads

Getting drunk homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat. 

His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.

When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it.

Trailer:

Why I'm waiting on this book? I love Keary's writing and can't wait to see what she can do with contemp fiction. I'm sure it will be fabulous because just the synopsis has me teary eyed :)

What are you waiting on?

Meme details: Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine. Don’t forget to stop by her blog and share your WOW pick for this week.

Waiting On Wednesday - April 11th

My WOW pick this week is:

Breathe

by Sarah Crossan

Available - October 2012

Synopsis via Goodreads

Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . . 

The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

ALINA
has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.

QUINN
should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

BEA
wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

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What are you waiting on?

Meme details: Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine. Don’t forget to stop by her blog and share your WOW pick for this week.

Teaser Tuesday - One Moment by Kristina McBride

My teaser comes from an ARC of One Moment by Kristina McBride

"I leaned down and pressed my face into his pillow, breathing him in. Imagined him lying there, perfectly alive. Then I crossed the room and opened his closet door as quietly as I could, running my fingers along the soft fabric of his clothes. I wished I could tuck myself into the thick shadows of the small space. To stay there for the rest of my life."

                                         p. 62

Add One Moment on Goodreads

FYI: This book turned me into a blubbering mess.

Feel free to leave me a link to your teaser. I'd love to stop by & check them out :)

Meme details: Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading. Stop by her blog for all the details.

Review & Giveaway: How to Ravish a Rake by Vicky Dreiling - Blog Tour

Title: How to Ravish a Rake
Series: How To Series #3
Author: Vicky Dreiling | Website
Available: Now
Genre: Historical Romance
Reading Level: Adult










Synopsis via Goodreads:


SCANDALOUS DESIRES . . . 

Amy Hardwick has one last Season to shake off her wallflower image and make a love match. If she can't, she'll set aside her dreams of romance and return home to a suitor who can provide security-if little else. What she doesn't count on is the inappropriate-and irresistible-attention lavished on her in a darkened library by rake extraordinaire Will "The Devil" Darcett . . .

DEVILISH DELIGHT

When Will is caught in a tryst with the ton's shyest miss, he knows he must offer for her hand. Yet Amy is not the shrinking violet she seems to be. Passion lies beneath her prim exterior and Will is eager to release it. But winning Amy isn't simply a matter of seduction; first, Will must convince her that he's mended his wicked ways . . 


My thoughts:


First I have to comment on this cover. The colors and THAT dress and the guy! I am in love ♥ This is without a doubt my most favorite cover EVER!


Vicky Dreiling has quickly taken over the #1 spot on my list of favorite historical romance authors. She pairs smart and fun dialogue with well developed characters and premises unique to the historical romance genre. When picking up one of her novels I know it will be unlike anything else I have ever read. How to Ravish a Rake stays true to what I’ve come to expect from Dreiling and just might be her best novel yet. 


I enjoyed catching up with the characters I have come to love over the course of this series. Aunt Hester, Georgette, Beau, Charles Osgood, Hawk, and Julianne all make an appearance. I also loved meeting new characters I hope we get to know better in future novels (I'm talking about you Earl of Bellingham aka Bell).


After meeting Amy earlier in the series, I couldn't wait to see her finally get her HEA. I wasn't sold on her match with the classic youngest sibling, and notorious rake, Will. They are complete opposites, but that seemed to be what made their romance work. Will is somewhat childish at times, but that also seemed to fuel his wonderful sense of humor and love of adventure (the two things I loved most about him). Amy is always so levelheaded and sensible. Will is the perfect man to help her shed her wallflower image once and for all. He brings out a side of Amy that I'm not even sure she knew she had. I loved the amount of fun their romance contained. The progression of both characters was beautiful to watch. I was actually sad when the book ended. I didn’t want my time with Amy and Will to come to an end. I hope we get a glimpse of what happened after the final page in Dreiling's future novels.


How to Ravish a Rake was a pleasure to read. The reformation of the rake is a theme I don't think I'll ever tire of. I can't wait to see what Vicky Dreiling comes up with next.

My Rating:

Source: Received from publisher in exchange for my review.


Giveaway Details:


3 copies of How to Ravish a Rake are up for grabs courtesy of Hachette!
Open to the US & Canada
No P.O Boxes please
Winners are subject to Hachette's 1 copy per household rule
Please fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter

Author Guest Post: Jenelle Jack Pierre

Please welcome Jenelle Jack Pierre to the blog!

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Mistakes Beginning Writers Should Avoid

By Jenelle Jack Pierre

We are all beginners at many points in life. We begin school. We begin relationships. We begin learning a new language. We begin numerous classes, from creative to academic.

Life is about new beginnings. With new beginnings come new opportunities, but also challenges and mistakes we did not expect. So it is with writing. These are the mistakes beginning writers should avoid.

1.View Your Writing Progress as So So.

Writing can be viewed as being so so when there is no definite aim,when we’re moseying along waiting to see the outcome of the situation. But as far as the writing ‘situation’ goes, what you create is fully under your control. Outside factors (reader response, book reviews, etc) may not be controllable, but inside factors (motivation and focus) is always fully within your hands.

2. Have Only One copy of Your Work

I began writing my first novel during my freshmen year of college. I was learning to balance my classes, work part-time, and write a novel at the same time. One morning, I was trying to finish up one of the middle chapters of my novel, but was in a hurry because I had to get to class for an exam. In those days, I typed on an old desktop and used a floppy disk to save material. (I still used a floppy disk with an external drive when I got my first laptop, realizing after I could just put a flashdrive directly into the laptop. Let’s just say I’m not that computer savvy). I clicked save and got up quickly, kicking the computer tower,and spoiling the disk. I took it to my campus’ tech team, but even they couldn’t recover the disk. At last, I had to retype eleven chapters based on my last printed draft.

Hence, the reason you should have more than one copy of your writing. Always save your manuscript to your flashdrive and one other place, your desktop or via email. Just in case.

3. Send Work out too Early

Many writers rush to put out their work because of outside variables. They feel they have to ‘compete’ with other writers and show the world what they’ve written. What they don’t realize is that there’s no need to gallop through the writing process. Extra time is what your work may need to become truly memorable. You want your writing to resonate with readers and not be added to the slush pile of books they regret buying.

4.Devour Everything on Writing

There is a lot of information available on writing. It’s easy to log onto the internet to check your email before you write, only to hours later log off. There are writing blogs, writing forums, tons of articles on writing, news on writing, etc. But all this ‘reading’ about writing adds up and may prove counterproductive. It’s important to learn about your craft, but your priority should be practicing your craft. So good luck and happy writing.

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Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing these tips with all of us!

Jenelle on the web:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Jenelle's newest book, Before I Breath: A Novel, is available now!

Kalena Moore is a Montgomery High student who isn’t into school. Isaiah Wilkins is a classmate that her friends think is trouble. Life becomes more interesting when Kalena starts dating Isaiah, but soon things spin quickly out of control and she gets pregnant. Then Kalena sees that there's another side to her boyfriend. 

Determined to put her life back together, Kalena takes a path where there is no turning back.

Add on Goodreads

Buy from Amazon: Before I Breathe: A Novel

Long time no blog......

Just wanted to apologize for my unexplained hiatus. I tried to find a way to balance blogging, family, and my offline commitments, but failed miserably. I've missed blogging and the book blogger community tremendously. Life is finally starting to feel less overwhelming, and I hope to get my blog as active as it was before.

I have a few giveaways that have ended over the last several weeks. Winners are announced in each post (thanks Rafflecopter), but I'll be sending out emails over the next few days.

Thanks for reading :)

A picture of a cute kitten just for fun :) He is one of my furry babies.